God Made Serendipity
by syaoran no hime
Summary: Ayame's orders: Be close to my brother. But how can Tohru do that when Yuki thinks that she is his brother's girl? Yukiru AU!
1. Default Chapter

**God Made Serendipity**

_Total story revamp! Previously titled "For Keeps", but because last night (14 Feb) I was able to brainstorm a new fic that works more under the title, "For Keeps", I changed the plot. Find out more as soon as I release the new "For Keeps",a TOTAL AU._

_So sorry for the inconvenience. __S O R R Y !!!__ *acts like Ritsu* __S O R R Y !!!_

* * *

Seventeen -year-old Tohru opened her journal and began to write.

Serendipity.

When you are not looking for something, but somehow you find it. 

This is what I experienced, when I met the men that changed my life. Yet I didn't ask the heavens for them. But Kami-sama was kind enough to give what I didn't seek at all.

God made serendipity for people like me. 

Why? How?

Tohru capped her ballpen and began to recall the details in her life.

********************************************************************

"Poor thing. Why don't you look up at me and tell me your name?" asked the silver-haired man dressed lavishly in a long mandarin coat. 

Young sixteen-year and a half Tohru looked up at him blindly. He was passing by the cemetery when he saw her sitting by another grave, her eyes glassy. When he saw her, she had already been sitting there unmoving for some two hours already, hungry and drained.

She couldn't find the voice to refuse his sudden invitation to eat in a Chinese restaurant, and she still couldn't speak to him now that he was asking her name.

"Ah, don't worry. After you get a good night rest, I'm sure you'll have the energy to chitchat with me. But now, eat as much as you want! It's' on me!" said the mysterious man cheerfully.

His smile made it hard for her not to smile back and dig in the delicious food before her.

Before she knew it, she had already told him her name and her story. He nodded sympathetically as she burst her story out.

"I have an idea. Come and live with me. You can work in my shop as an assistant. What do you say?" asked the man who introduced himself as Sohma Ayame.

What else could she say?

"Sure, Sohma-san."

"Ah, call me Aya."

"Aya-san then."

"You'll start working tomorrow, but as of today, you will be my lady companion. I'll take you around the city and we'll have fun! Whatever your problems are, we'll drown in an intoxicating day of merriment!" said Ayame brightly.

She smiled. His happiness was slowly rubbing on her.

"Thank you, Aya-san."

It's been a week ever since kind Sohma Ayame, designer extraordinaire, adopted me under his wing. I had assured my grandparents and relatives that I would be fine. Although they objected at first with the idea of me living with a man, when they saw what kind of man Ayame-san is, they grudgingly allowed me.

Life in the dress shop is fun. I get to help Aya-san design the outfits, and I can even try some outfits on before the customers come and get them! I also like how warm Mine and Aya-san are. The three of us are like a real family!

However, one fateful afternoon, just as Aya-san is chirping about his latest fashion design, he suddenly fainted. I asked Mine if he has any other relative we can contact, and she suddenly had this odd look in her face...

"There is one person he has closest blood relation to, but I doubt if he would want to come." Mine's face lit up. "I know! Let's call Shigure-san!"

"Shigure-san?" Tohru's forehead creased. Aya wasn't the secretive type, but she couldn't remember any incident of him mentioning other relatives, let alone this Shigure person.

"Don't worry! He's as warm as Ayame-sama!" said Mine. "Here." She gave her the keys of the shop. "Stay with Ayame-sama and I'll go fetch Shigure-san."

"R-Right!" She nodded.

"I'll be right back," said Mine, waving.

Tohru looked at the designer worriedly. "Aya-san, what happened?" She had no choice but to carry him to his room. She hugged him, and he instantly turned into a snake.

As she walked to his room, she smiled as she recalled the first incident where she discovered the strange curse that Ayame was suffering.

*****************************

_"Aya-san, what do you think?" asked Tohru eagerly as she twirled the wedding gown she was wearing._

_"Very lovely indeed, dear Tohru-kun!" praised Ayame, clapping. "Come here and I'll fix the veil."_

_She nodded, but her high heels wobbled, so she crashed on Aya._

**_Poof!_**

_When she opened her eyes, she was stunned to see a snake looking directly at her._

_"Uh-oh," said the snake. _

_Her scream nearly shattered the glasses of the display windows of Ayame's shop._

*******************************

"But then, Aya-san explained to me the curse that he and his family has to endure their entire lifetime," she said to herself, opening the door of the bedroom. "And in the end, I found the curse of him transforming into a Juunishi snake amusing and cute!"

There were times that she had the urge to just hug Ayame, and the Sohma wouldn't mind even if he transforms into an animal. It was the first time that he felt someone shower him affection that way, and he was vocal to her about that.

"You are the little sibling that I had but lost," he once said as she embraced the snake.

That was the first time that he mentioned something about his family besides the fact about the Juunishi curse.

"You have a younger sibling?" she asked.

There was a faraway look in his eyes. "A younger brother." His gaze returned to her. "And you know what, he's your age by now!"

"When will he visit you? I would love to be friends with him!" she said excitedly.

The haunted look returned in his face. "II'm sure you and Yuki will be good friends," he said softly. "I don't know though when will he visit me. He'sbusy."

"Oh."

And after that, no more was mentioned about the Sohma family and Yuki Sohma.

Tohru laid snake Ayame on the bed and ran her fingers across the snakeskin affectionately. "You're working too hard," she murmured.

Her eyes then strolled in the room. It was only her second time to be in Aya's room, and that was only to find a missing folder for the files. It was only now that she was able to take a really good look around. 

She then noticed a picture frame sitting on Ayame's desk. She approached it and looked at it curiously.

A young boy wearing a gray robe was staring at the camera, purple eyes wide as saucer. He was holding a small scroll and a paintbrush, and it seemed as if he was not exactly posed and ready for the shot.

_This must be Sohma Yuki, Aya-san's younger brother._

_Why, they really are brothers! He's like a younger replica of Aya-san!_

She paused when she heard Aya moan. She stood up and returned to the bed.

"Aya-san, what happened?" she asked as the snake's eyes seemed to move.

"Idon't know. One minute I was fine, and then suddenly, my whole world seemed to rotate so fast," said the snake, voice feeble. "I then lost my balance."

"You were dizzy.," said Tohru. "Must be vertigo." She propped her elbow on the bed and laid her face next to the snake's. "You work too hard, Aya-san. Don't push yourself to exhaustion."

"ButI don't know what else to do if I don't work," said Aya sadly. "If my body stops working, my mind would do the working. And Idon't want to think. I don't want to remember."

"You don't have to think of bad and sad things," she told him comfortingly. "Think of good and happy things, like your younger brother."

She gasped when she saw his eyes well up with tears. "Aya-san?"

"Don't mind me," sniffled the designer. He nodded and smiled. "I must not be depressed. I still have you."

"That's right, Aya-san," she said, burying her face on his cold skin. "You still and always will have me, so you must not be depressed. You helped me out in my depression when I lost Mama, so I don't want to see my pillar of strength to crumble right in front of me."

"Tohru"

"Because I do not know where else will I get the strength to live if that happens," she said softly. Her own eyes welled up with tears.

The snake returned to its human form and patted her. "Come here, Tohru. My sweet child." He kissed her forehead fatherly. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"Same for me, Aya-san. So don't make me worry again, ok?" she said. She cupped his face and dried the tears flowing from his eyes. "Be strong. For me."

Just then, the door opened.

She and Ayame turned to the door, and saw a young man with ebony hair and quiet purple eyes gaping at them openly.

"Sick?" asked the stranger. "Mine was exaggerating. I thought at first that you were dying. Too bad." His gaze turned to her next. "So, are you his nurse, his lover, or what?"

Her face flamed. She turned to Ayame, asking for defense, but she could see that he was frozen in his place.

_I'll have to defend Aya-san!_

She stood up and turned to the stranger. "Why did you barge here and accuse Aya-san and me with all those nasty things? You don't even know the circumstances!"

His brow raised inquiringly. "Circumstances? I opened the door of a bedroom and found you sitting on the bed with him, naked, so how do you think should I assess the situation?"

"Aya-san doesn't deserve such rude treatment!" she burst out. "Go ahead and be mad at me, but Aya-san is sick! Don't involve him! He just regained his consciousness and I hope you can allow him a full, quiet rest."

"With you in a bedroom? Well, that would be some kind of a rest," said the stranger sarcastically. 

"Look, I don't know who you are," she said. "But please, leave. Give Aya-san a break!"

"I'll leave, alright," said the stranger. "This scene is too disgusting." He was about to shut the door when Tohru stormed towards him and slapped his face. Hard.

"Don't ever insult Aya-san this way!" she shouted before slamming the door on his face. She turned to Ayame. "Aya-san, are you ok?"

To her utter shock, the Sohma merely doubled over with laughter!

She sweatdropped. "W-What's so funny?" she asked cluelessly.

"Y-You.." He wiped a tear of laughter from his eye. "just met my brother, Yuki!"

Her eyes grew big. "H-He'syour brother, Yuki?"

Yuki stormed out of the dress shop furiously.

_I knew it! Visiting here is a totally bad idea!_

He touched the cheek the lady stranger just slapped a few minutes ago. He cursed silently.

_I hate her. Damn it! No one had ever slapped me before! And the first one who did so was my brother's whore!_

He then recalled the blazing eyes of the brown-haired girl who looked like she was just her age.

_Looks like she truly cares for him._

_Phooey. He must be paying her a great deal of money that's why she "loves" him that much!_

He touched his cheek again.

_And I got thrown out of my own brother's territory!_

_Got slapped. Got yelled at. _

_What a day!_

_What a girl._

__

**tsuzuku**

* a little confusing, eh? I'll do more work so I can help make the scene transition easier*


	2. Epiosde Two

****

Episode Two: Tense 

Ayame and Tohru were eating breakfast as Mine served them. Suddenly the Sohma asked her out of the blue what she thought of Yuki.

"Eh? Why would you want my thoughts on him, Ayame-san?" asked Tohru, surprised.

"Let's just say, I'm curious," he said.

"Well, he's too judgmental," she said, carefully choosing her words.

"Dig deeper."

"Eh? I just met him!"

"Good point," said Aya. "But I want you to comment on his _looks_."

"Uh, he looks just like you, Aya-san!"

Ayame laughed. "I don't know if you are dodging my question or you're just plain too naïve."

"W-What do you want me to say then?" she asked, pausing from her eating.

"Well, is he good-looking?"

"Aya-san is very handsome, therefore-"

"It's hopeless asking someone like you, Tohru-kun," laughed Ayame. "Anyway, I will take you today to the Sohma house because we're going to get the measurements of my relatives for the wedding wardrobe."

"Wedding? Who's going to get married?" asked Tohru excitedly.

"My cousin, Sohma Kagura, is going to marry my other cousin, Sohma Kyo. They're going to get married at the end of this month," explained the Sohma.

"Oh!"

Ayame smiled. "Actually, Yuki is suppose to be the one whom Kagura would marry, but on the day of the wedding, Yuki disappeared. Kagura then announced that the one she really loves is Kyo. When another wedding date was set, Yuki appeared again."

"Why, he left Kagura-san at the altar! That's mean!" said Tohru. _But then again, at least Kagura-san was given the chance to tell the world whom she really loves._

"In fairness to my brother, the wedding was arranged by our clan head, and Yuki objected to that. He was not heard, so he took matters into his own hands," explained Ayame. "But there's another buzz in the clan…it's about my brother's _gender_."

"Huh?"

"He doesn't show interest to the opposite sex, and never had any kind of relationship with females, platonic or romantic. That's why, he is rumored to be a…"

Tohru's eyes widened. "Is it true?" She then covered her mouth. "I-I'm sorry!"

Ayame laughed. "I don't know. We aren't exactly close, you know. But from what I heard from Shigure, Yuki concentrates merely on his studies and extracurricular activities. His life revolves in school, but he has no time for his family and social life. That's where the rumor started."

She then remembered the face of Ayame's brother. Striking violet eyes and ebony hair that dramatically contrasted with his smooth pale skin, with the natural beauty of a woman…no wonder he was thought of as a gay!

She shrugged. It's none of her business anyway.

"I want to help him, Tohru-kun."

"Eh?" She looked shocked. "After the way he treated you yesterday, you still want to help him?"

"I deserve that treatment," said Ayame slowly.

"H-How can that be?" she asked. "You are the kindest elder brother I've ever met!"

Aya looked touched. "Right now, I'm torn between telling you my past and destroying that respect you have for me, or come clean to you so you would understand why my brother treats me like dirt."

"Aya-san?"

He shook his head. "Don't mind me." He sighed melodramatically. "Alas! Sentimentality comes with old age!"

"I don't think you're that old!" Tohru said, laughing. "You can still paint the town red!"

Mine joined in the hearty laughter in the dining room.

"'Gure, I'm hoooomeee!" called Ayame gaily as he and Tohru stood in front of a traditional Japanese house.

Immediately, the door slid open, revealing a kimono-clad man in his late twenties. "Welcome!" The man called out as he held out his arms, running towards them.

"'Gure, I miiiiisssseeeedddd youuuuuu!!!!!!!!!" called Ayame too, running towards him, but the man sped past Ayame and ricocheted towards the blinking Tohru.

"Welcome, beautiful flower! My name is Sohma Shigure, and I own this house. I'm a writer, and my size is-"

Ayame pulled on the sleeve of Shigure. "Er, excuse me? Don't scare my assistant."

He blinked. "No way!" He turned to the wide-eyed girl, then back at his cousin. He slapped Ayame at his back. "You're a pedophile!"

"No, I'm not! You are," said the designer good-naturedly. "By the way, this is Honda Tohru, my assistant in the dress shop. She's good in designing male outfits, and she provides me a perfect complement. I design women fashion, and she sketches male fashion designs."

"She can design my undergarments," said Shigure, but Ayame quickly nudged him.

"Don't poison her young, innocent mind, dear Shigure," said Aya, laughing. "So, can we get inside already and take your measurements?"

"Sure, sure!" Shigure placed an arm around the blushing Tohru. "Come in, Tohru-kun. Oh yeah, how young are you?"

"S-Seventeen."

"A high school girl! Just my luck! It's been quite a while since I last chatted with a girl like you," said the novelist cheerfully.

Sohma Kyo flew into the living room just as Yuki entered, looking grim.

"Baka neko, if you dare challenge me again, be sure that you can live up to it. You just wasted my time yet again," he said.

The orange-haired Sohma, oblivious of Shigure and the guests, yelled, "I'll beat you yet, you goddam mouse! I swear!"

Shigure cleared his throat. "Excuse me fellas, but we have guests."

The two looked up and saw smiling and waving Ayame with Tohru behind him. Kyo blinked while Yuki scowled.

"You again?!" said Yuki. He was referring to Tohru, but it was his brother who stepped forward.

"My beloved brother!" Ayame ran towards him, but Yuki quickly took a broom and posed it in front of him like a shield. "If you dare step closer to me, I'll pound you with this until I pulverize you."

Ayame laughed. "OK, I understand if you do not wish to show the public our display of affection."

A vein popped into his head. _Ignore him. Ignore him._

Tohru took out her measuring tape quietly. "Who's going to get measured first?"

Kyo's blood boiled. "For the wedding? No way!" He instantly got up and left the room. 

Ayame smiled at Shigure. "I'll take your measurements, 'Gure."

The writer nodded. "Sure, then we can catch up the events of our lives. It's been quite a while since you last visited us." The cousins went to Shigure's room, arm-in-arm. "You've been busy with your little assistant, huh?"

"You bet!" said Ayame as the door shut, leaving Tohru standing alone with Yuki.

"How busy were you and my brother?" asked Yuki.

Tohru's face flamed. "Do you still think I'm romantically linked with Aya-san?"

"The thought never left my mind," said Yuki, stepping closer towards her. "That, and another thing."

"E-Eh?" Without Ayame, she suddenly felt like her strength deserted her. "What's the other thing?" she asked, stepping back, He took another step closer, and she stepped back again, but felt only the wall against her back.

"That you slapped me," he said, his arms blocking her left and right. She had no escape!

"I-I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know you were Aya-san's brother."

"Really? I don't think that matters anymore," he said his voice husky as his face leaned closer towards hers. "Because the damage is already done."

She shut her eyes tight.

__

What is he planning to do with me?

"In romance novels, when a woman slaps a man, he kisses her," murmured Yuki, sending electricity up and down her spines.

Tohru's eyes flapped open in surprise and found his lips just inches away from hers.

"No doubt, I would do that to you. If only to know why you were able to bewitch my brother so…"

She jolted back to reality when she remembered Ayame. She shoved him away from her with all her might.

"I hope you'll stop thinking that way about Aya-san and me," she said shakily. "He's my brother…my only family after my parents died. He's my father, my brother and my best friend." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Punish me as you like, but don't insult Aya-san."

He exhaled sharply and turned his back on her. "Alright."

Silence.

Tohru then spoke up. "Sohma-kun?"

"Yes?" he asked curtly.

"M-May I get your measurements now, please?"

He paused as he digested what happened. He nearly kissed her, and then the air was filled with tension, and her icebreaker was this?

He nearly laughed out loud if only the circumstances were different. Instead, he frowned. "Make it short," he said. _The shorter time we spend together, the better for my sanity._

"T-The measurements?" she asked feebly.

That did it. He laughed out loud, and the door opened, with Aya and Shigure peeking into the living room curiously.

"What the hell-" said Shigure, clueless.

Ayame smiled.

__

That's my girl! Go Tohru!

****

tsuzuku


	3. Episode Three

As Ayame and Tohru were walking home from the Sohma residence, the designer merrily chatted about the _catching up_ he and Shigure did, and she listened eagerly to his stories. She was delighted by the fact that her _big brother_ was opening up to her again.

"And 'Gure told me that he was planning to teach Literature in the Kaibara High, but Yuki objected," continued Ayame, giggling like a little school girl. She couldn't help but giggle too. Her onii-chan's happiness was simply too contagious!

Then upon the mention of the name of Aya's brother, she felt her cheeks turn hot. She remembered the incident again when he nearly kissed her just to insult her for being _too close_ to his brother.

Unfortunately, Aya noticed the sudden peculiar reaction of his little girl. "Tohru-kun?"

She looked up, flustered. "Y-Yes, Aya-san?"

"Did something happen between you and my brother while I was in Shigure's room?"

Her eyes widened. "N-No! O-Of course not!" She looked down. "I-I mean…" She wasn't used to lying to him.

Aya knew that too. His eyes twinkled. "Sure?"

"Y-Yes!" cried the onigiri.

"Okaaaay," said the snake in a sing-song voice. As if he really believed her and trusted her sincerity.

That got her. "Aya-san, Sohma-san tried to kiss me because he thinks I'm your lover!" She bowed, face flaming. "I'm so sorry for lying awhile ago!" 

Aya was stunned, then he smoothed the girl's hair. "H-He tried to kiss you?"

Tohru nodded slowly.

"I wonder why…" mused the snake, wearing an ear-to-ear grin.

"It was all for fun!" cried Yuki, when Shigure cornered him in the kitchen, asking about Tohru. It took the writer only three and a half minutes to make him confess that he nearly kissed his brother's apprentice. 

"Fun? You mean you're actually learning what _fun_ is in a Sohma Shigure vocabulary?" asked the novelist, smirking.

Yuki fumed. "Don't compare me to you!"

"Okaaay," said the dog in a sing-song voice, as if indulging him like a little brat.

That got Yuki. "Shigure, I just didn't like the fact that the Sohma snake is having an affair with such a young girl. He's old enough to be her father!"

"And you're old enough to be her lover, is that it?" asked Shigure, smirking some more.

Yuki's usually calm face freaked out. "Nonsense!"

"Nonsense it is," mused the dog, wearing an ear-to-ear grin.

Ayame suddenly had a flash of an idea. "I know!"

Tohru looked at him, puzzled. "Huh?"

"Why don't you get close to him?"

"Huh?"

Shigure suddenly had a flash of idea. "I know!"

Yuki looked at him, utterly bewildered. "Huh?"

"Why don't you get close to her?"

"Huh?"

Ayame held the girl's shoulders excitedly. "Just think! My brother had never experienced what it's like to have a girlfriend! If you win his heart, then you'll be his girlfriend, and knowing you, I'm sure you'll make him very, very happy!"

"B-But," sputtered the onigiri.

Shigure placed his arms on the boy's shoulders excitedly. "Just think! That girl is a virgin!"

Lethal look from the nezumi.

"Ehehehe!" The inu scratched his cheek. "Anyway, she surely has never experienced what it's like to have a boyfriend! If you win her heart, then you'll be his boyfriend, then the rumors about your gender would stop!"

He was shocked.

"W-What if he doesn't like me?" Tohru's voice barely came above a whisper.

"What if she doesn't like me?" asked Yuki cautiously.

"He'll love you!" guaranteed Ayame, all smiles. The girl still looked doubtful, but she nodded anyway. She trusted Aya-san, and he wouldn't decide on anything that would not be for her good.

"She'll fall for you!" guaranteed Shigure, smiling the smile of a secondhand car salesman. The boy looked like he does not trust him one bit, but he nodded anyway. He would have to trust Shigure on this, because he knew that sneaky as the dog is, he wouldn't decide on anything that would not be for his good.

The next day….

"What?!" cried Tohru.

Aya nodded calmly. "That's right! Take off that uniform. I had you transferred to Yuki's school yesterday, and you'll be going to his school starting today."

Her eyes were still wide with shock. "B-But…"

"No buts, young lady. Change your clothes now, and hurry. You'll be late for school." Ayame looked at his watch. Shigure called him awhile ago and told him that he had forced Yuki to drop by in the shop to walk her to her school.

__

He'll be here any minute now.

Sure enough, a polite knock came into the door.

"Will you answer the door please, Mine?" asked the snake courteously.

"Sure!"

A minute later, Yuki entered the dining room, looking like he was ten years older due to frustration. "So where is she?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Aya smiled at him grandly. "She'll be down any minute soon." He gestured to the hearty breakfast on the table. "So while waiting for her, why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable? Or come and partake in our delicious breakfast Mine made for us with delight?"

His assistant smiled gratefully at the mention of her name.

Yuki was tempted to eat –he didn't eat breakfast at home because none of the residents there was a decent cook – but he chose to look away. "No, thank you."

Just then, they heard quick running footsteps going down the stairs. "Aya-san, I can't find the other pair of my socks-" She paused when she saw Yuki gaping at her. Because of her momentary confusion, she lost her footing and crashed down the stairs.

"Are you sure you can still walk?" asked Yuki as he looked at the limping girl beside him.

"Of course!" said Tohru, flexing her arms. "This _always_ happens to me! I'm used to it!"

Yuki sweatdropped. He cared no more to ask her the history of her stair falls and crashes. "You must have a healthy set of bones to survive all of those accidents."

"I drink milk everyday!"

He couldn't help but chuckle. The girl's replies were always unexpected.

She smiled back at him. "You know, if you're not threatening girls and cornering them against a wall, you can be really nice."

He laughed softly. "Thanks, I think."

Tohru looked down, wondering what else to say. His presence was making her tongue-tied again.

Yuki did the same. He knew a lot of one-liners that can make any romantic buff swoon but somehow, he couldn't speak the lines out.

"Sohma-san?"

"Yes, Honda-san?"

"May I ask you why you fetched me today?"

He blinked. "I-I just want to."

"Y-You're lying," she said softly. "Why would you want to do that after what happened in the Sohma residence?"

He looked away. "I admit. This wasn't my idea. It was Shigure's."

She giggled. "It's ok! Don't feel bad! I walked with you because Aya-san told me so too."

He blinked. "S-So all these time…we were just doing these because someone else told us so?"

She couldn't find a reply. "Er…"

Silence.

"So…um, now that we have both come clean to each other…should we stop this now?" she asked.

Yuki vehemently shook his head. "NO WAY!!!"

Tohru blinked.

He looked away again, embarrassed by his sudden outburst. "I mean, we still have to concoct a revenge plan against those two meddlers."

"I don't know…" said Tohru slowly. She didn't like the idea of doing that to her onii-chan. _And Shigure-san looked like a nice guy._

"Don't worry, this won't hurt them physically. It's not even serious," he said coaxingly. _I won't let you get away with_ _your meddling ways, you two!_

"We'll humor them both at first and pretend that we're getting very, very well along with each other. Then we'll break up, then tell them that all along we know their plans!" explained Yuki.

Tohru frowned. "As long as we don't hurt them seriously…"

"We won't," he promised. "It's just like playing a practical joke."

"OK," she said reluctantly.

Yuki offered her his hand. "Deal, partner?"

She took his hand, ignoring the sudden electricity that she felt when she touched his hand. "Deal."

****

tsuzuku 


	4. Episode Four

"Yuki-sama!!!"

Tohru was shocked when she saw how girl students flocked around him like butterflies. _Is Ayame-san telling the truth when he said that this guy never had a girlfriend?_

"Good morning," greeted Yuki politely, a small smile on his face. One a doting father would give to his whining daughter.

"Yuki-sama, the school prom is coming up, and we are wondering if you have a date already," the leader of the girls began shyly.

Yuki's smile widened. "Ah yes." Tohru's eyes widened when she felt his arm settle on her shoulders comfortably. "As a matter of fact, here she is."

Blank faces from the people.

"Everyone, meet my girlfriend, Honda Tohru. She's a transferee," he said, grinning.

"I still can't believe you said that to them! What if they believe you?" she cried. They were both in the girl's CR so they could talk privately. Tohru was still in the state of shock.

__

He didn't even court me!

She had no idea that she had spoken her thought out loud. This made Yuki chuckle, but he chose not to mention that to her anymore.

"Don't take this too seriously. It's just a game. A masquerade," he reminded her instead teasingly. "We're the only ones who know the truth. And once we tell Shigure and my brother that we know what they were planning all along…"

"Oh, alright," she sighed. She felt a little guilty, but she had to admit that she didn't like what Aya did, meddling with her private affairs. "So how long will we pretend to be a couple?"

Yuki glanced at his pocket calendar. "Two weeks. Just in time for the prom."

"D-Do we have to do the things couple do?" she asked uncomfortably.

His mouth twitched. "Like?"

Her face started to redden. "Um…"

"Ok, if it would make you feel more relaxed, then I'll set down the limits now." He sat on the sink, looking down at her. "I promise not to kiss you, but I am permitted to hold your hand."

She nodded dumbly.

"I may wrap an arm around you, but I will not hug you."

"Obviously, since you are like Aya-san, right?"

He paused. "Yes."

"A Juunishi?"

"The Juunishi mouse," he affirmed.

Tohru smiled as she imagined how this dashing young man would look like if he turns into a mouse. She giggled softly, not noticing the steady gaze of the young man on her.

"Does my brother transform in front of you?" he asked curiously.

She nodded.

"Weren't you scared ?"

"Well," She tipped her chin thoughtfully. "A little, at first. But then I decided that I love Aya-san too much. So if I see his snake form, I just remind myself that he is Aya-san, and then my fear goes away."

Yuki suddenly felt a grudging envy towards his brother. _He sure is lucky to find a girl who loves him unconditionally._

"Will you get scared if I transform into a mouse in front of you?" he asked out of the blue.

She blinked. "Eh?"

"Never mind." He unlocked the door. "Let's go, or people might think that some kind of hanky panky is happening in here." He gave her another teasing smile before opening the door. "Don't forget, Honda-san. I have only one rule here: you are my girlfriend, and I am an incredibly possessive boyfriend. However, I don't want a nagging girl. Do not ask about my personal affairs."

"R-Right."

Tohru was stunned when Yuki appeared by her side that lunch period, holding his snack bag. "Hey there, sweetheart!"

She felt her cheeks redden when her classmates turned her way. "H-Hi." She was careful to keep her eyes down as she took out her lunch.

Yuki sat down beside her. "Let's eat lunch together, shall we?"

"E-Eh? Aya-san and Shigure-san are not here!" she hissed. 

"So?" he asked breezily.

She sighed. "You don't need to keep this act up till here."

"I'm just making sure that we're safe. What if one of them turns up in school and catches us not together?"

Unlikely, but she said no more. She merely watched as he took out his lunch and began to eat. She then noticed that his food was badly burnt. "Um, Yuki-kun?"

"Hmm, sweetheart?"

She blushed again. His endearment sounded so sweet to her ears. "Would you like some of mine?" She gestured to her own dish of dainty onigiri. 

His grin widened. "Thanks." He took one piece and bit on it. He smiled at her brightly. "Delicious! You're a great cook!"

"You think so?" she asked eagerly. "This is Aya-san's recipe!"

At the mention of his brother's name, his smile faltered. "I…see…"

She wondered silently what made his mood change, but she chose not to ask anymore. "Very well, Yuki-kun, I'm coming late this afternoon because I'm going to visit a friend. Can you please tell Aya-san?"

He shrugged. "I'll call Shigure."

After a moment of silence, he continued. "I will go with you."

"Eh?"

That afternoon, Yuki was surprised when she brought him to a church. He watched as she knelt on the pew and prayed silently. He felt himself smile slowly.

__

How ever could have I ever accused her of being my brother's whore?

She finished her prayer, then turned to him. "I'll just have one more thing to do."

"No problem."

He then found themselves in the backyard of the garden. Tohru put on her gloves and took the pail of water. "Will you still wait for me? I'll just water the plants and-"

Yuki wordlessly took the pail.

"Yuki-kun, y-you'll get dirty!" she said, panicking. He was wearing an immaculate white uniform while she was wearing her gardening clothes.

"I'm going to get dirty…with you." He smiled meaningfully at her.

Her chore was hastened, thanks to Yuki, whom she discovered has a green thumb too.

"I would like to grow some flowering plants here too," she narrated animatedly as he listened to her. "Roses, of course, but I also like some daisies here too. Orchids? Nah, too expensive. All I know is that I want to make this garden beautiful!"

Yuki laughed. "A paradise indeed."

"Then I'm going to make this my venue for my wedding! My dream wedding! With lots of flowers! Oh!" she sighed dreamily. "Aya-san will make me a beautiful gown!"

He was silenced. _Ayame again?_

"Yuki-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"Aya-san told me…that you were suppose to marry Sohma Kagura-san," she began nervously. "W-Why?"

He exhaled sharply. "I thought I made it perfectly clear that you must not ask about personal things?"

"Ah, I'm so sorry!" She bowed, regretting that her curiosity made the good mood between them evaporate.

He looked away. "Let's go home."

"H-Hai!"

Yuki watched as Ayame greeted Tohru warmly at the doorway. The girl hugged him affectionately, and he turned into a snake. They didn't notice him leaning on the light post.

After a few more minutes, he left wordlessly.

__

Okaasan, I still have a lot of questions to ask Yuki-kun. About his relationship with Kagura-san. About the rumors regarding his gender. However, I'm afraid that we'll stop being good friends, and I don't want that to happen. I guess more than the thought of playing a practical joke on Aya-san, it's making friends with him. And then maybe, I can eventually talk him into making friends with Aya-san again.

****

tsuzuku


	5. Episode Five

"So how did your first day together with that cute high school girl went?" asked the novelist, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Yuki shrugged. "Not too bad."

"Really?" asked the writer excitedly.

"She's my girlfriend already."

Shigure blinked.

"Satisfied?"

The writer waved his hand. "Sure, Yuki! And Hatori promised to go to the massage salon with me this afternoon."

"This afternoon?" The lad cocked an eyebrow inquiringly. "What about your own date with your girlfriend?"

"Which girlfriend? I got plenty of them you know."

"The one outside our window now," said Yuki, looking outside pointedly.

"Gawd!" cursed Shigure under his breath when he saw who his visitor was, kneeling outside his window. He looked out of the window and pasted a smile on his face. "Mit-chan, what are you doing there outside? Come in!"

"Shigure!!! Please! I need the manuscripts already, for the love of Christ!" cried the poor editor.

"I'll deal with ya later, dear Mit-chan!" called Shigure before turning back to Yuki. "Oi, Yuki-kun, you're changing the topic! Ohohoho! So what did you do to her after you officially became a couple? Did you press her against the wall again-" He blinked. No Yuki was sitting in front of him.

He rubbed his cheek. "His ninja stealth strikes again, that nezumi. Oh well, this day won't end until I've finished my interrogation."

"Shigure-san!!! The manus-"

"Coming, dah-ling!" called Shigure back. "Man, she WANTS me!"

"So how was your day, Honda-chan?" asked Ayame eagerly when Tohru finally sat down the sofa with him. She was about to protest when he held a hand up. 

"Tohru-kun, dear princess, I allowed you to rest first before you tell me about your day, although curiosity is slowly killing me. I allowed you to do your assignments first, and to prepare dinner for us when it's Mine's job. I allowed those slight delays, but you cannot put off the narration forever," said Aya.

She sighed. "Y-You're right, Aya-san." She looked down at her lap. "Well, you see…he's my boyfriend already."

"A _what_?!!"

She looked up, alarmed. "Do you not want that, Aya-san? If so, just say the word and I will immediately call him up-"

"You're kidding, Tohru-kun!" He grasped her hands tightly, teary-eyed. "Finally! My brother has a girlfriend! And of all women…oh, I'm so happy!"

"Aya-san, calm down!" she cried.

"How did it happen? Was it love at first sight? Huh? Huh?" asked Aya excitedly.

"Eh, actually, it's like this-"

"No matter!" said Ayame, his hair bouncing happily with his head. "Ah! I'm glad that my brother can now experience what makes a man's life truly worth it…loving and protecting a woman he loves. Oh Jove! Thank you!"

She felt a pang of guilt. _Aya-san really looks happy. Am I doing the right thing by agreeing to Yuki-san's plan?_

"That is why you must learn to make yourself pretty!" said Ayame, suddenly finding the energy to make aesthetic magic…on her. "Not that you're not pretty – you are very lovely, Tohru-kun! _Dakedo_, my brother has a lot of admirers-"

"You can say that again," thought Tohru.

"And so, you must show to them that you are rightfully his girlfriend." Ayame placed an arm around her shoulders. "You will promise to me that you'll give all my love to him too, right?"

What else should she say? "Yes, Aya-san."

Yuki blinked the next morning when he saw his girlfriend walk down the stairs, her usually knotted hair let down, with ribbons pulling some of her hair at the back of her head. There was a light touch of powder on her face, and even little lip gloss.

He saw that she noticed his gaze already. She shyly looked away.

"She's prettier than I thought," he murmured under his breath, unaware of Aya and Mine smiling cheerily in the background. 

"An angel sent from up above, eh? Coming down on earth, bringing all the glory and rays of heaven to us lonely male mortals." said Shigure, who's present in Aya's shop too.

But then, Tohru slipped on the carpet and crashed down the stairs.

"Make that _crashing_ down on earth," amended the novelist.

"Honda-san!" Yuki quickly rushed to her. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…I mean, my bones are still complete, I think," she said , still wincing in pain.

She had to stifle a gasp when Yuki put his bag down and began to massage her ankle.

"Ah…" She stopped when Yuki looked at her meaningfully. _Act sweet._

Aya was jumping up and down. "Oh Gure, look at the two lovebirds! Oh my, I'm going to melt in the warmth of their love!"

Shigure sighed. "Lucky bastard! I wish I'm Tohru-kun's boyfriend too. I took up massage and aromatheraphy too."

"You can massage me, Gure!" said Ayame.

"No offense, dear cousin, but those varicose veins are kinda nasty to look at," joked the dog.

"What varicose veins?" cried the snake, looking down at his legs to check while everyone but Tohru rolled their eyes.

"We completely fooled them, didn't we?" asked Yuki, smiling as the two of them walked to school. "And what's with the make up?"

Her face flamed. "Ah…this. Aya-san…"

"OK," he said curtly.

Silence.

"You don't…like it?" she asked softly.

Yuki looked at her. _Is she asking my opinion whether I want her to cling to my brother too much?_

"If you don't like the make-up then…"

Silence again.

"I like it…very much," he said finally. He gazed at her and smiled. "You are cute though, face made up or not."

"Ah!" She looked away.

"You're not used to compliments?"

"Only Aya-san thinks I'm pretty."

"He does?" he asked.

She nodded. "He told me that if I am his biggest fan, he is my most ardent admirer."

"Him _and _ me," said Yuki, correcting her.

"Ah, no need to say those things. Aya and Shigure-san are not watching us anymore," she said, laughing shyly.

"I know," he said simply.

She looked at him blankly, but he was already hastening his pace, and was avoiding eye contact.

__

What did he mean by that?

"Honda Tohru. Nice to meet you," said Tohru as she bowed to her classmates.

"Wow! Another pretty classmate!" hooted the boys. "It's a welcome change to these poor excuses for ladies."

The female population of the class was enraged. "Perverts!"

Tohru then noticed that aside from Yuki who looked grim, one boy wasn't joining in the fun. She recognized the orange head as Yuki's cousin, the soon-to-be-groom, Sohma Kyo.

__

I wonder…is he aloof like Yuki-san too?

I wonder what my brother put in the cereals awhile ago. Why do I have this sudden urge to beat up those perverts making fun of Honda-san?

Yuki looked away. _It's her fault. She didn't have to make herself so pretty. Now, almost all my male classmates are interested in her already! Is she flirting in purpose?_

Minutes later, he's looking at Tohru again, who's seated in front of him.

__

Hold it, Sohma. You're just getting carried away with her new look. Remember, you hate her because she is seducing your brother. That all of this is an act. That I'm just using Shigure's stupid plan as an excuse to make my plans easier to carry out. 

I must not feel sympathy or concern for her. Including emotions in this game can be very dangerous.

****

tsuzuku


	6. Episode Six

"OK, so you have to get first the summation of the x squared, then the y squared, then, get the product of y and x and sum the answer up," said Yuki as he busily wrote down the answers.

Tohru could only watch in amazement. It seems like this guy was deliberately putting the inventor of calculator to shame! 

"You may double check it if you have doubts," said Yuki.

She meekly did as told. "All the answers are…correct."

"They should be," said a voice from behind sarcastically. "Even the God of Mathematics knows that Sohma Yuki can never be wrong." 

They both turned around and saw Sohma Kyo looking at Yuki challengingly. "Sohma-san!" exclaimed Tohru. 

"I will take that as a compliment," said Yuki coolly.

"Great," snapped the orange head back. He looked at Tohru next. "You know what, I do not believe that you are his girl. I don't know why you agreed to whatever his scheme is, but I'm warning you. Don't trust him."

Her face flamed. "Ah!"

Yuki stood up. "Accusing my girlfriend of those terrible things is unforgivable. If you insist though, I have no choice but to beat you up seriously."

"I'm always ready, damn mouse! Show your masculinity in battles and fists, not through using her!" barked the neko.

"S-Stop it, please!" she begged, standing between the Sohmas. A crowd of students were gathering around them already. She turned to Yuki. "Go to the canteen first and buy us some drinks, ok?"

He didn't react.

"Yuki," she whispered beggingly. At last, he nodded. He strode out of the classroom, but not without a glare at his cousin.

"Honda Tohru, if you know what's good for you, drop the act. It will be you who'll lose in the end," said Kyo. "You look like such a nice girl, but he cannot love you. He's-"

"No," said Tohru quietly. "Yuki-kun loves me."

The cat frowned. "Tohru…"

"I believe so…he has a good heart, I know," she finished as she sat down her chair, trembling. _Did I really defend Yuki-kun back there? I can't believe I have such guts!_

"Alright," shrugged Kyo. "But you must know, he once declared that he loved Kagura Sohma, yet he still didn't appear in the altar the day of the wedding."

Buzzes in the crowd.

"Tohru, I'm just worried about you," said Kyo before he left. 

"Kyo-san."

He turned around. 

"Thank you for your concern anyway."

"I'm sorry about what Kyo said," Yuki apologized when they were walking home that afternoon.

"It's ok," she said smilingly.

"No, it's not." He sighed. "You must understand why he's so mad at me. It's about Kagura…this girl-"

"I know," she said softly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Aya-san told me."

He paused.

They were seated in the park bench, eating cotton candy as they watch the sun set.

"It was a long time ago," said Yuki. "I didn't want any relationship with other females. I want to be alone with my books, with my school life. However, our clan head is pressuring me to choose my girl already because…because he knows that I hate women."

"Eh?"

__

The clan head?

"Why do you hate women?" she asked.

"Because…because I hate my mother," he said quietly.

"Ah!" She was shocked.

"Anyway, Akito arranged me to wed Kagura, my cousin, but I didn't want to. I then pretended to go along with his plan and then, at the day of the wedding, I disappeared. I went with my sensei, Kazuma, to Osaka. I hid there for several days until I heard that Kyo has taken my responsibility out of pity for Kagura."

"Whatever the circumstances were, you shouldn't have…you shouldn't have left Kagura-san," she said softly.

"I know, and I regret my decision." Yuki looked at her. "Kagura is important to Kyo, so I can understand his wrath. We were never friends, but then, with what I did, we became mortal enemies."

Silence.

"Akito, on the other hand, made fun of me in public. When I was going to get my award in the junior high graduation ceremonies, he took the mike and announced that the reason why I didn't appear in Kagura's wedding is because I'm gay." His fists clenched. "It was an issue never talked about out loud in the campus since I am a respected figure there, but behind me were rumors, gossips…"

Tohru bit her lip. "Yuki-kun…"

He laughed bitterly. "What am I saying, confessing all of these to you? You're not a priest!"

"I'm your friend," she said.

He gasped.

"You see, even if our relationship is just an act to fool them, the sympathy I feel for you is real. The concern I have for you is real." She cupped his face with her hands. "At first, I thought you were just another arrogant young man who is too conceited to acknowledge what love is. "

"However…you are just a victim of manipulation. Although I do not approve of you hating your mother, I will still support you. Whatever happens, Yuki-kun, I'll be here for you." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Itsumo."

Yuki looked at the crying girl in front of him. She cries as if she feels his pain too. She cries with understanding. She cries with compassion.

Quietly, he took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Thank you for…being my friend."

When she smiled, he suddenly felt that for the first time in his entire life, he wasn't alone.

"Ah, Tohru-kun, you are troubled! What's wrong?" asked Ayame when he saw his little princess staring at the night sky, as if in deep contemplation.

"Aya-san?"

"Yes?"

"Do you...hate your mother?"

This made Ayame pause. "I…don't know. I never saw much of her. All I know was I was left in the Sohma main house with Shigure and 'Tori. I didn't long for her presence because my cousins cheered me up." He frowned. "Why the sudden curiosity?"  


"Aya-san, Yuki-kun told me that…he hates your mother."

Aya looked thoughtful. "I do not know for sure what happened between them…the gap between me and my brother…I'm sorry, but I do not know."

"Aya-san, I want to know."

"Huh?"

"I want to know the things that make Yuki-kun happy…I want to cheer him up."

He blinked.

"It troubles me to see Yuki-kun sad."

His face lit up. "True love! Ah, Tohru-kun, you really are in love with my brother!" He messed her hair fondly. "Wait for me, I'll call 'Gure and ask him Yuki's favorite dish, then you can cook it for him." He skipped down the stairs. "Tra-la-la-la!"

Leaving Tohru stunned.

__

In love? With him? But it's too soon! It can't be. Love grows through the years.

But what about this thing they call love at first sight?

And it's so easy to fall in love with Sohma Yuki-kun. Dakedo…

Yuki was staring at the night sky, his mind still occupied by thoughts of one girl who shared his pains. As he recalled every word she said, every tear she cried…her touch, her voice…

He crumpled the sheet of paper where he wrote all the reasons why he must not take Honda Tohru seriously.

It was wrong –plain wrong- to toy with someone with such good heart as hers. It was stupid of him to think of hurting her.

So now, he decided to throw away his plan of hurting her.

But still, he was stubborn. If he detects signs that he's losing control of his emotions already, he would stop and break the act. Before his own heart does.

__

I will not fall in love.

Love is an addiction. It feels good, but in the end, it will be bad for you. 

And just as Akito said, women can never be trusted. These direct descendants of the sinful Eve…like my mother.

He heard a knock on his door.

__

Kyo? No, he would rather jump off the cliff than knock on my bedroom door.

Shigure? He's too intelligent to know the ethics of knocking.

Then who?

"Come in," he said wearily.

"Good evening!" greeted Tohru.

"Ah!"

"You don't look too pleased to see me," she said.

"N-No!" he said quickly. "I mean…I was just…surprised by your…unexpected visit."

"I cooked some leek soup because Shigure-san is feeling a little under the weather-" began Tohru.

__

Under the weather? Hah! Try under a woman's skirt! thought Yuki.

"-so I cooked more for you," she finished shyly. "I'm not much of a cook though."

"Modesty," he said. "Thanks, Sweetheart!"

Her eyes widened. "Ano-"

"I'll eat it if you feed me," he teased.

"Ah!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction.

__

I do not know why my heart jumps whenever she's near. I do not know why her smiles take away my sadness so easily. I do not know how she can calm my fears so easily. I do not know the answers to all of those, except the fact that she makes me happy.

Is this how my brother feels when she's with him too? Is that why he's so happy?

Tohru blew on the soup delicately before spooning it into his mouth. "There!"

"Do I owe you something for this?" he asked.

"Yup!"

"What is it then?"

"Just a cheerful smile from you! When Yuki-kun is happy, I am happy too."

Those simple words…they touched a soft spot in his heart. He felt that those were the most poignant words ever uttered to him in his entire life.

__

Yuki-kun is smiling again. I'm so glad!

His smile makes my heart spin dizzily. His presence makes my stomach churn, and my body tremble.

__

Is what Aya-san said true? That I care for him deeply? How can it be?

__

I may not yet know the answers, but for the meantime, I shall cherish Yuki's smiles and take them in my heart.

**__**

tsuzuku


	7. Episode Seven

__

A/N: I'm currently searching for someone to host a small shrine to my favorite Furuba character, Shigure. Will any of you be kind enough to lend a small space in his/her domain to me for free? I know it's embarrassing to ask such favor, but I really need a space for this dream site of mine, but the ads of geocities, not to mention the bandwith problems, is giving me one hell of a headache.

Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

__

What is fantasized in the infinite darkness of the room…

What is pondered on the flickering shadows of the candles…

Even we don't know.

"Perhaps it's stupid to ask this, Aya-san," began Tohru nervously as she sat on his bed one lazy afternoon. She just got home from school. 

"Don't worry, dear. All of us in our lifetime say something stupid once in a while," teased the Sohma.

"Aya-san, please tell me something about Yuki-kun…I mean…" She licked her lips nervously. "I talked to him last night, and yet, I think he's still feeling ill at ease to tell me those things."

"Those things? You mean about our mother…?"

"T-That, and the things he wants and needs. About what makes him happy, and what makes him sad. I told you these last night, yet I still can't stop thinking of him." She sweatdropped when she saw the teasing curve on his mouth. "It just disturbs me to see his emotions so bottled up like that!" she said defensively.

"Ah! That motherly instinct! Such lovely warm feeling! Ooh-la-la!" Ayame's hair twirled. 

"Aya-san!" she groaned. "Answer my questions, please!"

"Well, don't get impatient with him. It will take some time before he opens up to you, you know." He tipped his finger on his chin thoughtfully. "From what I've gathered from Gure, Yuki was left in Akito's house back when he was very young. He suffered a traumatic series of psychological torments from our clan head, and he blamed our mother for these, because she left him there."

"However, Shigure rescued him from there and took him under his wing. Yuki slowly learned to act normal again, but he was never the one who can be open enough with his feelings." Aya's eyes saddened. "When he needed me most, I wasn't able to be there for him."

"E-Eh?"

"That shaking hand…I cannot forget that look of his…when he was asking for help from me. But I…but I…" Aya suddenly pressed his hands over his face. "…shook it off."

Tohru was stunned.

"So you must understand why Yuki never liked me. The pain of the past…it stuck to his mind. It stuck to mine too. But guess what? I was only able to realize that pain when I was already an adult! I often cry to the Lord that I am such a worthless brother to him! That he should have been born to another family, where he could have been cared for more by another much better big brother…one who will never shake off his hand. One who can be really there for him when he needs him. Things that I failed to become."

She remained still, listening to his sudden outburst.

"And even though no matter how many times I try to reconcile with him, I know I can never take back those happenings," he said remorsefully. "So, Tohru-kun…do you hate me now? Because of what I told you?"

She shook her head. "No, Aya-san. I love you now even more. Because you trusted me enough to tell me these things." She smiled gratefully. "I know that you won't discuss these things so easily and yet…"

He nodded. "So that is why I'm asking you to love Yuki for me. It's totally rotten for me to meddle with your love life, but my brother…it's easy to learn how to love him, right?" asked Aya hopefully.

She couldn't help but giggle. "He's too good for me. He's like a prince!"

"And you're a princess! A match made in heaven!"

"Why don't you have your own love life first, Aya-san?" she teased.

He smiled good-naturedly. "Because you and Mine are enough to make me as happy as any lover could be."

"But what if Ms. Mine marries and I start my own family too? Who will keep you company?" she asked.

"Are you going to leave me?"

"No! Just a hypothetical question."

He smiled. "I'm not worried. I won't grow that old to think about that." There was a hint of something in his voice.

Tohru was stumped. 

__

Fear…Aya's words…they sound so ominous…

Aya suddenly laughed. "Don't take me so seriously!" He hugged her, and he instantly poofed into a snake.

"Aya-san!!!" she cried, laughing heartily.

"Don't worry about Yuki. He'll mellow down one of these days."

As Ayame watched his princess slumber peacefully, Mine tapped his shoulder.

"My lord, why don't you tell her about it?" she asked, for once, not smiling cheerfully.

"And make her worry?" He shook his head. "No, I cannot afford to see her worried…"

"She ought to know."

"No," repeated Aya firmly. "And you must promise me that you'll keep it as a secret."

Her eyes were shaking.

"Please?" begged the Sohma.

"Y-Yes." She looked down. "I care for Mistress Tohru so much too…and it will devastate her if she learns-" 

Aya placed his finger on her lips. "Ssh. That is exactly my thought. Even if Tohru hates me for keeping this as a secret, I will endure it." He suddenly collapsed on the floor, coughing hoarsely.

"My lord!" she cried, pulling him. "I'll go get the medicines!"

Aya was near to tears. He then looked back at the bedroom where his Tohru was sleeping.

__

It's so unfair! Just when I thought I was happy, why did this have to happen to me?

I love you, sweetie. My source of joy, my daughter, my little sister, my best friend, my princess…all of them rolled into one. I love you just as much as I love my brother.

"Your medicines!" The assistant quickly administered the capsules to him.

"In my room," he instructed weakly. "We might wake her up."

"Right!"

__

"Aya-san, I got an A in my Economics assignment today! Look!"

Tohru was stunned when she realized that no one was at home. She looked at the shop, then at the dining room where Mine and Aya usually hang out. No one present.

"Are they playing some kind of joke on me?" She went up Aya's bedroom. "Hello? Aya-san! Mine-san! Don't play hide and seek now! You're making me nervous!" She opened the door and gasped.

Aya was lying on his bed lifelessly, his palm holding a handkerchief drenched in blood.

"Aya-san!!!"

"Honda-san!" 

Tohru's eyes flapped open. The first thing she saw was the golden stream of sunlight from her window and the familiar color of her bedroom ceiling.

"Honda-san?" the voice repeated.

She turned to her left and found Yuki looking down at her concernedly. "Aya-san…"

"He's downstairs," replied the Sohma after a moment of hesitation.

"I-I thought…"

"Whatever it was, it was all a dream. A very bad dream," he assured her.

She flinched when she felt his hand run on her hair soothingly.

"You…don't like my touch?" he asked.

"No! I mean-" Her face was flushed. "W-What kind of question is that?"

He shrugged. "A simple question."

"It's just that…what are you doing in my room anyway?"

"We're late," he said simply. "You overslept."

She couldn't find a reply. She was feeling her insides melt with his hand massaging her hair and caressing her skin.

"Ano…"She stopped when she felt his hand pause at her lips.

Unknown emotion flickered on his face. "You…are lovely," he said slowly.

Her face turned red. "Ah!" 

He smiled at her reaction. "Get dressed, then we'll play hooky. I'm taking you out on a date."

"Ah!"

"Hurry, or I might dress you up myself." He bowed and kissed her messy hair. "See you down stairs in 10 minutes, Sweetheart."

__

I promised myself over and over that these were all an act. However, it is my own actions which betrays me. Damn it.

****

tsuzuku

__ __


	8. Episode Eight

__

My heart yearns to comprehend him…

His complexities…

His intricately woven personality…

If he would only let me do so…

Tohru gazed at her "boyfriend" as he led her to the movie house.

"We're suppose to watch something educational, but the movies are something less to be desired," he said apologetically. He looked up at the Now Showing signboard and winced when he read the movie.

"Lost in Mars," read the onigiri, then sighed. She never liked sci-horror flicks.

"There's a good romance movie after that though," said Yuki soothingly. "Until I Met You".

"OK," she agreed finally.

"Let's go?"

A green-blooded monster sprawled on the ground, lifeless, just as the spacemen cheered.

"The movie's over," said Yuki as he patted the girl whose head was buried on his shoulder, shivering.

"Mrmph," said the muffled voice of the girl. She couldn't erase from her mind the horrid sight of spilled guts floating inside the smashed spaceship of the trapped astronauts.

"See? The second movie is starting?" He had to laugh at how scared his date was of the movie. "Come on, sweetheart. Do you really like my perfume that much, that you can't get yourself away from me?" he teased.

Instantly, her head looked up. "Iie! I-I mean…"

Yuki gazed at her for a moment, lost in the extra vulnerability and fragility the lights of the movie screen give the face of his girlfriend.

"Honda Tohru-san?" he murmured huskily.

"Y-Yes?"

He didn't speak anymore, because his face was on its way down to hers.

Alarm bells rung inside her head, but she couldn't summon the guts to push him away, even just to say "Stop".

Because she knew, somehow, she was curious what it felt to be kissed.

Suddenly, a drum sound blared on the speakers, making them jump apart from each other. They looked at the screen and saw that the opening credits were starting to roll on the screen.

"T-The movie's starting," said Tohru nervously.

Yuki sighed and sat back on his seat. What the hell happened back there?

"You know what? How I wish I never met you at all! Because I wouldn't have to hurt myself! Because then, I would still know how to keep my feelings in check!" yelled the leading man on the screen.

"What would you like me to do then? Fade away from your life, huh?" yelled the female lead back.

"No!!!" barked the man as he imprisoned the girl in his arms. "I want you so badly, that even while saying all of these…" His voice softened. "I'm aching to hold you like this…for all eternity."

Tohru wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh Carlos Miguel, tell her then! Tell her that you love her even if the whole world is against you!"

"Honda-san," said Yuki as he handed her his hanky. "It's only a movie. Those characters won't hear you even if you scream at them."

"Ssh!" hissed the women behind them. Yuki sighed and leaned back on his seat again.

"Cecilia, until I met you, my life has been plunged in darkness," said the leading man emotionally.

"That must have been terrible!" said Yuki in mock sympathy. "Having a power failure in his house until he met her."

"Ssh!!!"

He then watched wearily as the lovers on screen shared a deep, passionate kiss as a theme song played on the background.

__

No one can stop this feeling now…

No one can stop us…

Our hearts are crying out for each other

You truly are one-of-a-kind

I do hope that you are the one…

The ending credits rolled as the scene faded into black and the movie house's lights turned on.

He yawned, then turned to his girlfriend. "Let's go?"

She blinked back her tears. "Eh? So soon? Can't we watch it for just one last time?"

He sighed. "Alright."

That afternoon, they were walking home after strolling in the mall for hours. Tohru hugged the stuffed mouse that Yuki bought for her in a toy store.

"Ah, the movie was good! At least, it's that flick that stuck in mind and not the horror one," she said. "I'm sorry if I had to make you sit down for another couple of hours to watch it. I just can't get over at how dreamy the story was."

He laughed. "Yes, well, I appreciated the large bucket of popcorn anyway." He then turned to the sky. "The sun's about to go down. Let's go watch it!"

"Yes!"

As the breeze blew on them both, Yuki started to speak. "Do you and my brother go out like this often?"

"Yes, he takes me out to dine," she said nonchalantly. "Why?"

"How do you find him?" he wanted to know.

"Funny, but he asked me that same question before…right after I slapped you." She blushed faintly.

He chuckled. "So what did you say?"

"Um…let's just say, I told him that you look as handsome as he is."

Silence.

"Yuki-kun, please tell me…why you hate your mother so much…"

He paused. "Honda-san, I rather not talk about it."

"I told you, Yuki-kun, I am your friend as well. I want to share your pains too!"

"I don't want you to feel what I feel," he explained. "I don't want to see you cry again with me-"

His words were cut by her slap on his face.

"Yuki-kun," she murmured. "I _am_ your friend. I care for you so much! Try to understand that you refusing to share your troubles with me…" She looked down. "It makes me feel so bad…"

"You care for me?" he repeated slowly.

"Of course!" she said, still not looking up.

"Look at me, Honda-san," he instructed.

"No…"

He gently tipped her chin up with his fingers. "You do not know what you're saying. We've only met a few days ago. How can that be?"

"I don't know…"

Her words echoed his own emotions. But he couldn't think. He just couldn't.

They were too close…simply too close. The inches separating them suddenly seem to shrink. He would die if he couldn't kiss her now…

__

Mama, don't leave me!

Shameful…a mouse! Ah, I will not accept that.

Mama?

Get your hands off me!

Mama, don't go! Don't leave me!!!

Tohru noticed that he suddenly got tensed. She felt her heart wrench.

__

My nearness disgusts him…is that it?

She stepped away from him. "I think we better go home-"

"Not yet-" he said before pulling her back into his arms and kissing her passionately.

Suddenly, her doubts and fears that he hates her faded away, because his kiss makes her feel that she was adored…that she was beautiful.

However, she just had to make a fool out of herself. Because absent-mindedly she whispered something that made him freeze.

"I love you."

****

tsuzuku


	9. Episode Nine

__

Was it something I said that pushed you away?

Was it because I said "I love you"?

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

"Tohru-kun?"

She blinked, then saw Ayame looking at her with concern. "Aya-san?" She bit her lip guiltily.

"You look…distracted these past few days," he observed, sitting down in front of her. "Did something happen in your date with my brother?"

Her eyes widened. "N-No!" She looked away, because she was afraid that if he locks gaze with her, he would realize that she was lying.

"Are you sure?" asked the Sohma skeptically.

She shut her eyes tight.

__

No, I don't want to remember! I don't want to remember!

But her mind replayed the events cruelly.

__

Yuki pushed her away abruptly. "W-What did you say?" he asked curtly.

"Yuki-kun…" Her eyes shook. "I…think I love you."

He stepped back from her, shaken. "That's…insane! This is not part of the act!"

"Of course it's not!" she said vehemently as her heart sank.

He tried to laugh sarcastically. "W-We just got carried away…"

"Carried away?" she whispered, the words sinking in.

"That's right." He turned his back on her. "Very well, I better take you home-"

"I can go home all by myself, thank you very much," she said, trying to conceal the tremble in her voice.

He turned to her. "Honda-san?"

"You're right. I just got carried away," she said bitterly. "I allowed myself to lose my wit and let you kiss me…don't worry. You're a very good kisser. I had no…regrets. Just that I had to involve my heart and soul too in that kiss."

With that, she pivoted and left as quickly as she could.

"Tohru-kun!" gasped Ayame when he saw her eyes welling up with tears.

"I'm so…stupid." Suddenly, she burst into tears. "Stupid simpleton Honda Tohru believed that she could be loved by a prince…"

"W-What did Yuki do to you?" asked Aya, mystified.

In broken speech, she narrated to him the plan that Yuki conspired with her.

In the end, Ayame was smiling no more. "Yuki did that?"

"It's not him that you should blame, but me, who believed gullibly. It's all my fault…"

The Sohma stood up and marched out of the room.

__

... I had no…regrets. Just that I had to involve my heart and soul too in that kiss.

Yuki clenched his fists. "Honda-san, how could you do such a thing? Why? You know that love is non-existent in vocabulary. Now I had to do the thing that I would have wanted last to do to you: hurt you."

Love? No, he couldn't love. He didn't want to love anymore. He had grown wary of the universal conspiracy weaklings use to survive in the rough world.

"Aya, don't come in! Yuki is not in the mood to chat-" He could hear Shigure say outside his room.

__

He knows.

"Aya-" Shigure stopped talking when the door opened, and the siblings looked at each other testily. "Um, I better go."

Soon the two were left in Yuki's room.

"How could you?" began Aya, fists clenched. "You should have known better than to break the heart of an innocent girl like Tohru-kun."

Yuki forced a careless shrug. "It's her fault. She went along with a game that she couldn't handle."

Silence. However Yuki could feel that his brother was standing next to him now. He looked up and met his gaze. He could see that Aya didn't look like the normal Ayame that he could sigh exasperatedly on. His brother was damn serious. He could kill him with his look now.

"I can punch you right now…over and over, in fact, if that would bring you back to your senses," said his brother through gritted teeth. "But guess what, I won't. Because Tohru-kun begged me not to hurt you."

Shock registered in the young Sohma's eyes, but it quickly disappeared as fast as it came.

"But I expect not to see your face again, and do not show yourself to Tohru-kun either, or else, I'll kill you. Get it?" threatened his elder brother.

"Fine by me."

Aya shook his head. "How could it be…that she loved you so much. She deserves someone much better."

After Ayame left, Yuki had to stop himself from breaking down. His brother had never been more right. Tohru _does_ deserve someone else. 

She was too good for someone like him.

"I hate to say this, but I did warn you," said a familiar voice.

Tohru looked up from her sewing and saw Kyo looking down at her sympathetically. "Kyo-kun! Ah, please make yourself comfortable-"

"I won't stay long. I just wanted to tell you that…you are too good for my cousin." He blushed faintly. "I mean, I could see that you are a really nice girl."

She smiled, touched by his concern. "Thank you."

Silence.

"If only I don't care so much for Kagura," he smiled. "I would have caught you with open arms."

"Thank you," she laughed.

"However, I could still clearly see in your eyes the stubborn emotion," he said.

"Yes…perhaps, with time's will, my feelings for him will wane."

"Perhaps."

Kyo took out an invitation from his jacket. "Here. My wedding is on Sunday."

"Ah, thank you!" she said, smiling brightly.

"Be there, alright? Kagura and I will be waiting for you."

"Yes!"

******************************************

After a few more days, Sunday finally came.

Tohru, dressed in an immaculately white church dress, hair tied low with a white scarf, waited on the foot of the stairs as Ayame walked down, wearing a flowing chinese-inspired coat and silk pants.

"Why do I have a feeling that you're much prettier than me?" asked Tohru, giggling.

"Of course I am!" said her onii-chan indignantly, then planting a kiss on her hair. "Let's go?"

At the same time, Yuki was struggling with his necktie. Shigure the came into the room, bringing Yuki's white coat. "Hurry, or else we'll be late."

"Why did I have to go this wedding anyway?" he asked, irritated. His brother's reminder still stuck in his mind.

"Because Kyo will miss you!" teased the canine before slipping the coat into the head of the nezumi.

"Stupid dog," muttered Yuki.

__

I'll probably see her…no, I know I'll see her.

His heart raced.

__

I miss her terribly.

"Let's go!" said Shigure cheerfully.

****

tsuzuku

__


	10. Episode Ten

Tohru stopped dead on her tracks when she saw who just arrived in the Sohma garden at the same time with her and Ayame.

Sohma Yuki froze too. He knew that he was going to see Tohru in the wedding sooner or later, but he didn't expect the meeting to be so soon!

It was the onigiri who first looked down. She couldn't stand his steady gaze at her. She was afraid that she might just get hypnotized with his purple eyes.

Shigure broke the silence. "Hey Aya! I'm glad you made it! Look, Yuki is with me!"

Ayame bit his lip, wondering how he would react. In the end he decided to say hello to both men, if only for courtesy. However the novelist immediately felt the tension surrounding them.

"I do hope that you would be able to catch that garter this time," said Shigure.

Ayame frowned. "I don't think so," he said coolly.

"Hmm?"

"I want to get the bouquet," said the snake before grinning. 

"Dearly beloved, we are all gathered here-" The priest began as the guests watched the couple, amused. The bride was still hysterically crying, still telling herself over and over how lucky she was to be standing beside Kyo, while the groom was looking away, as if he was just forced to sit beside his would-be wife.

Tohru giggled. She knew that Kyo refused to demonstrate how really happy he was, for she knew that the man loved Kagura very much, as proven by the way his eyes glowed when he talked to her a few days ago.

She then felt that steady gaze again. It was coming from the right side of the pews.

It was Yuki. She knew it was Yuki. She could feel it.

__

Kami-sama, what ever did I do wrong for him to punish me like this?

Yuki was getting frustrated. He tried a lot of times to catch her gaze, but she wouldn't look at him, even give him a glance! And he knew that she knows he was looking at her. 

__

Fool, he muttered. _Of course she wouldn't look at you again. After what you did to her these past few days, I doubt if she would even want to see me again._

But the days that he wasn't able to see her made him realize now more than ever that he could never afford to lose her. Her absence was driving him slowly and painfully insane!

And after that kiss…he knew that he would never be the same again, for all his life he would berate himself for losing a special girl like her when she was still in his arms.

__

I want you back, his heart foolishly cried, staring at the cold, indifferent back of the girl he just realized that he loved with all his heart.

__

But if you won't want me back, then at least give me the chance to say sorry for all that I did. Please. Look at me!

"You may now kiss the bride," announced the priest.

Amidst the applause, a furiously blushing Kyo lifted the veil covering his bride's face with trembling hands. For what seemed like forever, he was just gazing tenderly at the face of his lifetime partner.

Suddenly, Kagura encircled her hands around his neck and pulled him down to kiss him fiercely. Everyone hooted.

"He was too slow, and she was too excited," noted Hatori as Tohru sweatdropped.

"OK, ladies, line up behind our bride!" announced the wedding coordinator, Ritsu.

Ayame pulled the blushing Tohru along. "Come on, princess! Who know? We might be the next bride!"

"Aya-san!" she whined.

Shigure pulled Ayame back. "Give chance to Tohru-kun. You can catch the bouquet at _her_ wedding." He then leaned over to his ear and whispered something.

"Oh!" Comprehension dawned on Ayame's face. "Are you positive about that?"

"As sure as the stock of condoms in my cabinet, Aya!" said Shigure cheerfully.

"Alright then." Ayame smilingly bowed out of the bouquet competition.

Leaving only Kisa, Tohru and Mayu.

Kisa chuckled as she blushed. "I am too young for this…"

Mayu sighed. "And I'm too old for this."

Kagura grinned. "Then there's no need to throw this bouquet after all!" She went to Tohru and planted the bouquet on her hands. "Here you go! Best wishes on that future wedding, Tohru!"

"E-Eh?? That's the farthest thing on my mind right now!" she said, blushing profusely.

"We'll see about that," said the new bride in a sing-song voice.

It was time to throw the garter. Upon seeing who got the bouquet, men piled on the center to try to catch Kyo's garter.

But the neko was concentrating on the piece of band he was holding between his thumb and index finger disgustedly. "Kagura, don't tell me that you took this garter from that brief you destroyed last week while doing the laundry?" he pleaded.

"Really? How did you know?" asked Kagura, awestruck.

"Call it a lucky guess," he muttered, looking at the name he wrote on it with a permanent marker. It was his Tuesday underwear, his favorite one, in fact.

"Well, Ritsu said that to cut off expenses, we must recycle-"

"Not this kind of recycling!" bellowed Kyo.

Ritsu drew near to the couple. "I-I heard my name on that conversation. Is something wrong?"

"A-Ah!" The guests sweatdropped. 

"I-It's not what you think," said Kagura.

"No, tell me!" demanded Ritsu. "TELL ME THAT I'M JUST A GOOD FOR NOTHING BRAT WHO CAN'T EVEN ARRANGE A PERFECT WEDDING EVEN IF HIS LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! WELL I'M SORRY!!!" I'M SORRY!!!" He started to run around the field like a headless chicken. "I'M SORRY!!! I'M SORRY!!!"

"Somebody please stop him before he wreaks havoc here!" pleaded Kyo.

"Not to worry! The defender of justice is here!" said Shigure, stepping forward in front of the crowd. "I will deliver justice!"

"Evil Shigure," muttered Hatori, rolling his eyes.

"Chaaaarge!!!!" Shigure, hands clasped together in a gun position, lunged on his cousin.

Shigure's attack was successful! In no time at all, he was able to silence Ritsu. The crowd sweatdropped.

"And once again, the day is saved, thanks to Super Shigure!!!" announced the novelist proudly.

"Hey, let's get on with the ceremony-" Ayame paused, then blinked. "Hey, where did Tohru-kun go?"

Everyone looked around.

"Yuki's gone too," observed Shigure.

"Where could they be then?" asked Hatori, frowning.

"Hey, where are you taking me!" wailed Tohru as Yuki pulled her away from the party. 

"Somewhere we could talk," he replied, glancing at her. "I have to tell you something very important."

"Important? Can't you tell me that matter without having to abduct me?" she cried.

"Abduction?" Yuki finally smiled. "Now that's an idea."

"Yuki-kun!"

He stopped when they reached the forest. "Here, we can talk."

"W-What is it about?" she asked nervously.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry about what happened a few days ago."

Tohru bit her lip. She had longed to hear those words from him a few days ago. Now she didn't know how to react!

"I was just…I got scared when you told me you loved me," he confessed, sighing. "No one has ever did that to me before…all I got were praises on my looks, adoration….but love?" He laughed bitterly. "I do not know what is that…"

"Yuki-kun…" She sighed shakily. "My feelings will not change, no matter what you say. I do not care if you do not know what love is, all I know is that I-" Tohru's words were cut off by Yuki' fiercely passionate kiss.

__

I do not know love, Tohru-kun…until you taught me what is it And I thank you for that, thought Yuki, feeling his own eyes well with tears.

****

Tsuzuku

p.s. I'm suppose to add more details in the story, but my hands-on time is up. Well, watch out for its 2nd to the last chapter coming soon!

__


	11. Episode 11

__

Will you have me back, Honda-san?

Yuki-kun…

Please give me a chance to repent for the pain I caused you…after I promised myself that I will be the last person on earth to hurt someone as special as you are.

Of course, Yuki-kun! Of course, I will!

"I finally see you smile brightly again," said Ayame as he watched amusedly the singing Tohru, who was working on a green scarf.

"Aya-san, must you notice everything that I do?" she asked embarassedly. "I'm always very cheerful."

"If you say so," sighed the snake, grinning from ear-to-ear. Somehow, he knew something happened between her and his brother when they suddenly disappeared from the wedding yesterday.

"My lord," said Mine, coming in. "It's time for us to go."

"Huh? Go where?" Tohru was puzzled. "Do we have new clients or something?"

Ayame looked away. "Y-Yes. Something like that, sweetie."

Her forehead creased even more so. Why didn't Aya invite her along? He always loved to have her company!

"See you, child. We won't be long," promised the designer before leaving the shop.

Tohru bit her lip. Why was she suddenly feeling a peculiar emotion….like extreme worry for her Aya-san?

She looked back at her sewing, then shrugged. She better finish the scarf, so she could give it to Yuki this afternoon when he visits her.

"Where to now, my lord?" asked Mine after they visited the clinic.

Ayame grinned. "To Gure's house!"

The maid looked down. "How can you be so high-spirited, after what Hatori-san told you?"

The snake sighed. "I might just kill myself earlier by worrying about something that is not happening yet."

Mine looked up at him, but this time, her eyes were wet with tears. "My lord Ayame, you're dying!" she burst out. Her shoulders started to shake. "H-How can it be…that you are not bothered….that you are not worrying as other normal dying patients do?"

Ayame tipped her chin up. "Because I have a different view about life. Because I live for the moment…for the people who are with me right now. I do not think anymore about the regrets in the past, or the wistful thinkings for the future. I live for the present, and I live for my relatives, for my princess, and for you."

"I am happy, right now. I am contented with my life. I am thankful for what I am right now, and that is what matters. So even if I die this very minute, I will not object, for I had been happy."

"B-But you have so much to live for…" protested Mine.

"God knows what he is doing. His will shall be done." Ayame looked up at the sky. "When I was young, I asked myself where is God. Who is God? Why is there a God? But when I met Yuki, you, and then Tohru-kun, everything just fell into place. As if all the events were pulled together by strings and orchestrated in synch by one divine presence." 

"I then realized that there is really a God I can rely on. A God I can believe in with all my heart. The God of little ones like me. The God of Serendipity. I found so many good fortunes in my life that I didn't look for. Back then, I was just wishing to belong, but look at me now." He smiled through his tears. "I just don't belong in a family. I am also loved dearly by that family."

"Ayame-sama…"

"I enjoyed my life, Mine. It's not very long, but it's good. If I will be born again, I want to live this life again. I feel no bitterness, only gratitude, for having the chance to live as Sohma Ayame."

Yuki looked surprised to see his brother again. "Come in," he said stiffly, just as the designer entered the room.

"I just want to ask you one thing," said Aya, smiling tenderly at his brother.

Yuki fought the warmth flooding his heart caused by that smile. "Sure."

"How much do you love Tohru-kun?" he asked.

The nezumi blinked.

"I said, how-" Ayame coughed violently all of a sudden, alarming Yuki.

"A-Are you alright-"

Aya held a hand up. "Do you love Tohru-kun?"

Yuki nodded.

"With all your heart?"

He nodded again.

"Good," said Ayame. He turned to the door. "Mine, will you fetch Tohru-kun please? And Shigure and Hatori too."

Yuki heard footsteps hurrying away.

"What is this all about?" demanded Yuki, although he was really getting nervous.

Ayame smiled sweetly.

Soon, everyone were crowded around Ayame, whom Yuki helped to lie down on his bed, in an attempt to make his brother more comfortable.

"Hey, the gang's all here!" said Aya weakly. "Now, let's start the party!"

"Aya-san, what's wrong?" asked Tohru nervously. "Y-You don't look too well."

A sob escaped from Mine's throat.

Tohru was about to ask the maid what was wrong with Ayame when the door opened, and in came Kagura, Kyo, and a…

…priest?!

Kagura took out a veil from her bag. "This must be the strangest wedding of all."

"W-Wedding? What wedding?" yelped Yuki and Tohru at the same time, freaking out.

"_Your_ wedding," said Shigure, grinning. "You caught the bouquet, didn't you, Tohru-kun?"

"Y-Yes, b-but…."

The priest gaped at everyone. "I-Is this a gunshot wedding or something?"

Everyone sweatdropped.

Ayame spoke up for them. "This is my idea." He turned to the still shocked onigiri and nezumi. "I'm sorry if your marriage has to be forced. I just want to ensure both of your happiness…"

Silence.

"You are too slow, Yuki," said Ayame, winking. "It might take you a million years before you finally get to first base with my princess."

The nezumi blushed hotly. "STOP IT!!!"

Shigure and Hatori stood as witnesses to the wedding, while Ayame was the principal sponsor. Kagura and Kyo were the best man and matron-of-honor.

The priest sighed. He thought he had seen all the weddings imaginable in the world…but this?

Tohru and Yuki turned to each other, then looked away, faces blushing. But the nezumi slowly reached for the onigiri's hand and clasped it firmly and affectionately.

__

Don't worry. I want this too.

"Dearly beloved…."

The wedding was a whirlwind. After the vow exchange and the passionate kiss, the next thing Tohru knew was she was being congratulated by her guests already!

"Take care of her when you do 'it' tonight. Don't be too excited or you might scare her," advised Shigure.

"Shut up, damn dog," muttered the mouse.

"Aya-san," said Tohru, kneeling beside her 'nii-san'. "I-I can't believe this! You tricked us!"

"And it worked," laughed Aya.

"Yes, it worked," laughed the onigiri. "I love you, Aya-san!"

"I love you too, sweetheart!" He turned to Yuki. "Take care of her and love her more than I could."

"I promise," nodded his brother solemnly.

Shigure had dragged the newly-wed out of the room, together with Kyo and Kagura, leaving only Aya, Mine, Hatori, and the priest in the room.

The priest looked down at Ayame. "Is it true that you want me to perform another ministering task for you?"

"Yes," said the snake.

"Very well," said the priest sadly as he sat down beside the dying patient. 

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned," began Ayame as Mine finally broke down into tears.

Hatori looked out at the sky gravely. Ayame was going to receive his last sacrament.

Just as the priest gave his absolution, the man smiled weakly, then shut his eyes.

He was happy.

He left the world happy.

And that's what matters.

****

tsuzuku

__


	12. Episode Twelve aka the Finale

This is the last chapter of Serendipity, and I wish to thank all the readers that stay tuned to this fic. Arigatou gozaimasu! ^_^

_The next fic I will be writing will come out as soon as I finish Iridescence (hopefully, I will be able to do this within 3 chapters). The much-awaited 12 Vampires and an Onigiri._

_For the meantime, enjoy the chapter, people! Thanks again!_

Syaoran no hime 

****

*********

Epilogue

*********

It was the day of Ayame's burial, and the entire Sohma family came, except for Akito, who Hatori said was too weak to attend the ceremony.

Tohru could hear the words of comfort from a lot of people – from Shigure, from Kagura, from Kyo – but somehow, she couldn't comprehend them. The only thing that kept on ringing in her mind mercilessly was that Ayame – her Aya-san – was dead. Gone. Never to come back.

She would never see his wickedly funny smiles again.

She would never hear his infectious laughter again.

She would never experience the times that they had together back then.

He was gone.

Her shoulders shook with grief. "Aya-san…"

She could still remember the shock of her life when Hatori called her up that afternoon, saying that Aya passed away. She vaguely remembered herself losing balance, and if not for Yuki's swift movement to catch her, she might have ended up in the floor.

"How could you do this to me?" she asked the gravestone before her. "W-Why didn't you tell me about your health?"

She couldn't blame Mine, because the maid told her that it was Aya who begged her not to tell her anymore about his condition, afraid to make her worry.

A disease that could have been easily treated, but Aya ignored, perhaps deliberately, said Hatori.

"He was sick long ago, but he was depressed. Instead of fighting the sickness off, he accepted it with open arms," said Hatori as he lit his cigarette. "He was sick even before you came along. He tried to save himself when you came, but then, it was too late. Tuberculosis is one sickness you must not play around with. It can kill you seriously."

"Depressed?" she asked.

Yuki looked down. He knew Ayame's reason for depression. It was his fault. He knew that with all his heart.

Hatori must have read the boy's mind. "It's no one's fault, but Ayame's alone."

"How can you say that?" asked Kagura, aghast.

"He did not have enough faith," said Hatori simply. "I remembered him calling me one time ago, that he had only learned to believe in God when he met Tohru, and in one way or another, was able to change the young girl's life. That was the only time that he believed in divine miracles that can touch people's lives, for the girl changed him too."

The doctor stood up. "It's beginning to rain. We better go."

Kagura knelt down beside Tohru. "Come on, you're going to be sick."

"I…don't care," she said quietly. "I…don't want to leave Aya-san alone. He doesn't want to be alone, and I promised that I would never leave him, no matter what."

"Tohru…" Kyo looked troubled. "Ayame's gone."

"No," said the girl quietly, but with fierce determination. "He's not gone. He's here, watching us."

"Tohru," said Shigure, kneeling beside her. "He is watching us alright, and he doesn't want to see you get sick, by staying here out in the rain." He smoothed her hair. "What if he gets mad at us for leaving you here, and suddenly comes back from his grave and spook us?"

"SHIGURE!!!" barked everyone.

"You pick the _worst_ time to crack your corny jokes!" said Kagura, then looked down at Tohru, who didn't even react.

"Leave me alone," said Tohru. "I want to be alone."

Silence.

"I said, let me be!!!" wailed the girl, crying all over again.

The Sohmas looked at each other, then left her reluctantly.

Tohru started crying all over again. "Aya-san…you gave up on life so easily. How could you do this? Why? I told you before, you are my pillar of my strength. You're my hero! If you disappear, then I'll lose my will to live."

The rain was dropping down the grave, but strangely, Tohru could not feel the rain. She looked up and discovered that Yuki was holding out an umbrella, shielding her from the rain.

"I-I thought you left already," she said, rubbing her eyes.

His face remained blank. "How can I leave you, when you're looking like that?"

Tohru's eyes widened, as memories came back to her mind.

******

"Tohru, let's go," ordered their neighbor –she forgot the old woman's name – who was the only one kind enough to console her when her mother died.

_She was now an orphan. Her father was dead years ago, and now, even her mother was gone. She didn't know if she had family. She didn't know where else to go. She was sure that she could not abuse her neighbor's kindness by living with her._

_"I'll stay here…with my mom. You can leave me alone now," she told the woman. _

Although reluctant, the woman respected the young girl's wish for privacy. She was left alone, staring with glassy eyes at the grave of her beloved mother.

_"Now…I'm alone," she thought._

_Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. She didn't bother to glance at the person. She was too tired, physically and emotionally._

_"Hey!" greeted a cheerful voice._

_When she didn't turned to the speaker, he knelt down beside her mother's grave and looked at her eye-to-eye. "Dear, your eyes are all puffy!"_

_She couldn't say anything._

_"And you look quite hungry to me. Let's get some meat into your bones shall we?" he said, helping her up gently._

_"Leave me alone."_

_The man's eyes softened. "How can I leave you, little girl, when you are looking like that?"_

************

Yuki was already kneeling beside her, looking down at his brother's grave. "At the last moment of his life, he was still thinking about the welfare of others above his." 

She couldn't think of anything to say.

"Why is it, that regrets always come too late?" he asked, himself particularly. "Why didn't I see how great he is early on? Why didn't I show my love to him before it's too late."

Tohru paused. "Yuki-kun!"

"Now, no matter how many times I tell him in front of his grave how much I love him…how lucky am I to have him for my elder brother…" A tear streaked down the boy's cheek.  "He won't hear me anymore."

She suddenly felt her pain lighten. Somehow, knowing that someone was crying with her…it calmed her because she felt that she had to be strong for the person crying with her.

"Honda-san…do you have any idea how much it hurts when you fail to express your love for someone simply because it's too late?" he asked, voice broken. "The person who had loved you since the beginning never had the chance to hear that he is loved back too, only silently." He clenched his fists. "Because I let pride overwhelm me."

"Yuki-kun…" She turned to him and touched his shoulder. "Aya can hear you, wherever he is right now. He is surely overjoyed by what he heard from you. He had been dreaming of the time that you will forgive him and love him again."

She looked up at the sky and tried to trace the laughing face of Ayame in the clouds above. She could imagine his trademark laugh, his dramatic gestures, his cheerful smiles…

She looked back at Yuki. "I love Aya-san very much, and I am sure that I will miss him greatly, but you know what? I just realized this moment that he left me a tangible memory of him."

He was speechless.

"He left me you," she said, eyes welling up with tears. "He was so kind to me, that even before he died, he wished to see me together with the person I love the most, aside from him."

Yuki's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. He then laid his head wearily on Tohru's shoulder, letting his tears of mixed bitterness and happiness be washed down by the rain mixed with Tohru's tears.

"I guess, he loved me too. Because he gave me you," he said at last, glad that he finally was able to speak his emotions out loud after bottling them inside him for so long.

"It was destiny…it was fate, wasn't it, Yuki-kun?" she whispered. "We never meant to fall in love…"

"Yet we did," he agreed, enjoying the warmth of her body.

"Thanks to the God of Serendipity," Tohru said, eyes softening.

Now she was not afraid of being alone, because she never was, and never would be.

If only she would believe in miracles of love.

******************

Tohru looked at what she had written in her journal, and noticed that there were streaks of tears in their pages.

"Oh, Aya-san, now I understand what serendipity is," she said. "Thank you for teaching me this word, its essence and all."

I was  never planning to look for a best friend, let alone a big brother.

_But then, I found you._

_I was never planning to fall in love._

_But then, you helped me find him._

_Finding good fortunes that you were never planning to seek for._

_Being caught in the enigmatic and mysterious web of events fate weaves._

_That is serendipity._

**The end**


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